A politically committed and militant project!

The nucleus is resolved by using a wall of compacted earth blocks (CEB). The block is distributed through 3 large units adapted to the program; it generates open spaces for storage or facilities, enclosed spaces with their own program, and passage spaces that interconnect or separate areas. At the same time, in order not to alter the original stone walls, the block concentrates all the installations of the cohousing.

In terms of comfort, this large earth block provides a high hygroscopic property, which compensates the low capacity of existing stone walls to humidity regulation. In addition, it compensates part of the thermal inertia that is lost through the thermal insulation of the existing façades on its interior side.

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Most of these industrial spaces are located on the ground floors of residential buildings, extending beyond the building’s footprint into interior courtyards. In a cityscape now dominated by residential and commercial uses, these large-volume spaces are no longer needed. Urban planning policies prioritize reclaiming these courtyards, often through the demolition of industrial structures, supported by zoning changes that convert industrial properties into residential use. The most drastic transformation involves limiting the depth of new construction, making residential redevelopment of these industrial buildings unfeasible unless they are partially demolished. The financial incentive for these changes lies in the real estate market, where land values can triple or quadruple when converted into residential properties—largely driven by Madrid’s inflated rental market.

The key to preserving these spaces lies in hybrid uses. These industrial buildings cannot be understood rigidly; they require a more fluid approach to occupancy that takes advantage of their spatial qualities while balancing the costs of adaptation. Elements for Industrial Recovery explores urban and architectural tools to retain these structures in a context that otherwise incentivizes their disappearance.
CNM was originally a storage space characterized by a large, continuous pitched roof and nearly opaque lateral walls. The redesign opens this space up, reflecting the vision of its new owner—an artist whose work explores perceptual distortion through technology and digital media. Based on that, the project creates a distorted spatial experience using layered materials, shifting transparencies that transform into reflections, and interior spaces that seem to dissolve into exteriors.

The design materializes in a monumental outer wall composed of a large colonnade with a textured plaster finish. Regularly spaced openings combine fixed glass panels with overlapping sliding doors, creating a seamless interplay of transparency and reflection. The roof’s continuity is preserved as a defining element, visible from any point in the space and strategically perforated to bring natural light into key areas. The interplay between the uninterrupted roofline and the grand colonnade generates a series of overlapping spaces where interior and exterior boundaries blur, creating a dynamic depth of field.

Two distinct material volumes provide intentional contrast and serve as spatial anchors, marking the beginning and end of the journey through the space. The first is a bold yellow volume near the entrance, containing restrooms, storage, and mechanical systems. The second is a wooden structure at the far end of the building, housing additional functional elements and concluding the interior narrative.
The furnishing strategy reinforces the theme of spatial indeterminacy through a collection of movable objects. These pieces are designed to flow between zones, enabling different uses to migrate across the space. Each object is proportioned to pass through the arches, facilitating movement and interaction between areas.

By embracing flexibility, preserving architectural heritage, and integrating hybrid functions, CNM offers a forward-thinking model for the adaptive reuse of industrial spaces in a rapidly evolving urban context.

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The current project takes the form of a “re”- transformation of the barn based on subtraction, revealing the original qualities of the space. The main intervention restores the previous spatial character of the fourragère: partitions were removed to recover its through-configuration, and the slab was cut through its full depth to bring back its verticality.

The resulting layout follows a tripartite scheme: the central living space occupies the former fourragère, while service rooms and bedrooms are housed in structural bays on either side. Material choices reflect the same logic: pseudo-Tuscan finishes were replaced with white tiles reminiscent of milking rooms, and plaster was stripped to reveal the original textures underneath.

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The five facets are addressed as a gang of elevations. each has a character of its own but they share apparent similarities. A grid of black dots attempts to make sense of the concrete structures and defines the figure of the facades.

Reoccurring pairs of windows, yellow doors, green shutters and surfaces of glass brick correspond to intricate rooms, devise tense compositions and charismatic personas. the former warehouse is a house of many faces.

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Prefabricated Plugin units are installed directly onto existing floors without altering the original structures. Lightweight, insulated, and self-contained, these units offer year-round comfort while maintaining the spatial logic and material integrity of the buildings. Timber frames, brick walls, and tiled roofs remain untouched.
At Courtyard C34, three artists share a triangular site comprising two porcelain workshops and two small dwellings. One structure becomes a communal kitchen, while the others house individual Plugin configurations combining sleeping, working, and bathroom spaces. Sloped roofs and integrated HVAC systems respond to daylight and climate conditions. In Courtyard H20, a single artist inhabits a studio fitted with a mezzanine bedroom, flexible workspace, and openable façades that reconnect interior and courtyard. Courtyard P58 accommodates three artist studios within a long workshop, each with a ground-floor office and a sleeping loft above. A neighboring building is reimagined as a public gallery and gathering space, with a zig-zag layout that balances openness and privacy. At Yanghua Lane, a newly built café anchors a courtyard framed by three historic studios and an L-shaped residence. Multiple Plugin units support group residencies and collaborative use, forming a micro-community embedded within the historic district.

Across all four sites, the Plugin system adapts to diverse spatial conditions while maintaining a coherent architectural language. Its prefabricated modular panel system allows for variation in size, material, and detailing, accommodating irregular geometries and evolving programmatic needs. The result is a family of interventions that are distinct yet cohesive, responsive to their contexts while clearly part of a unified strategy.

While earlier work in the district introduced a civic landmark and public gathering space, this phase extends the transformation into the neighborhood’s interiors, activating underused spaces and stitching new life into the rhythms of daily activity. By working within the architectural grain of Jingdezhen’s porcelain heritage, Porcelain Studios Plugin Revival offers a replicable and respectful model for architectural reuse, one that fosters continuity between making, living, and memory.

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On the first floor, the notary’s office has been transformed into a tuned-down kitchen and dining area, aligned with the grid of the original windows. These openings were carefully preserved and upgraded with integrated double glazing.

A passage was carved through the load-bearing wall that once divided barn and office. This newly opened tunnel, lined in green-tinted plywood, leads into the main living area; an expansive, 4-to-8-metre-high volume in the barn. The space, rendered in clay, showcases the original timber roof structure, now carefully reinforced by the engineers.

All original openings have been reinterpreted with new windows. One large, square bay punctures the façade, framing the surrounding wine hills and vernacular buildings in a single, intentional gesture.

The exterior has been reworked using local techniques and materials, reimagining traditional clay-based renders for a contemporary context.

H(a)er House is infused with modern infrastructure and spatial clarity, while maintaining a close dialogue with the building’s layered past and the landscape beyond. It is a home that reflects both continuity and transformation.

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At the rear, a staircase running parallel to the party wall was all that remained from the original structure. Aside from it, only the stone walls and a timber frame — floor and roof — existed, both in relatively good condition. The staircase was fragile, yet its odd placement served as a cue. Because it was precarious, it was replaced. The other elements were kept and revalued through the new design. The existing timbers were painted, allowing for maintenance with subtle replacements and ensuring a continuous reading across the space. Very little was added. On the lower level, a few light partition walls outline the new rooms, each of similar size. Above, a compact infrastructural core conceals the home’s technical utilities. The existing roof truss now rests on a new, robust timber beam, enabling the opening of a high-set window overlooking the garden. A light wooden terrace ensures a seamless connection between spaces.

The execution drawings were minimal. The spatial arrangement was preserved, but the slow and close collaboration with the builders allowed for a series of improvised moments that would have never been foreseeable in the original design. Outside, one finds an exposed cork façade, three octagonal concrete columns poured using salvaged formwork, a concrete water tank, and a mirrored wall reflecting the beautiful garden designed with pomo landscapes. Like the project itself, the house is pragmatic and honest. A kind of primitive urban hut, conceived as a holiday home yet meant to be lived in all year round.

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The rehabilitation project involved transforming the workshop into a restaurant, taking advantage of its last commercial licence as a tavern. The existing upper floor was extended, creating a covered outdoor terrace area and a toilet and service area. The ground floor houses the kitchen and a lounge that opens directly onto the outside.

The large openings on the upper floor without casements frame fragments of the façades of the buildings surrounding the covered terrace.